A Hertfordshire charity has received £1,000 donations to help vulnerable people keep warm this winter.

Small Acts of Kindness has received donations of over £1,000 as part of its campaign to keep people warm this winter – it has already distributed 5,000 Warm in Winter gift bags so far this winter.

People have started to receive notifications about their payments and some have already received their payments.

Last month Dame Judi Dench backed the charity this is the second celebrity after Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley.

Dame Judi said: “They help older people who are really struggling to keep warm when the cold weather hits by giving them practical Warm in Winter packs.

“It's so important to think of others who are less fortunate in our society, and this is a really simple way of making a real difference to people's lives this winter.”

Ms Lumley said: “It isn't possible to automatically have this payment redirected to someone needy, although I know that an awful lot of people would want to.

“I would absolutely urge anyone who gets this benefit, but doesn't need it, to donate it to the charity Small Acts of Kindness, so they can distribute thousands more gift bags to older people this winter, and actually save more lives than they are usually able to."

Lynne Misner, chief executive of Small Acts of Kindness said: “We would like to extend a huge thank you to the very kind and generous people who have already donated their Winter Fuel Payment to Small Acts of Kindness.

“Their support means that we can pack and distribute a further 250 Warm in Winter gift bags before Christmas and bring some warmth and festive cheer to some of the most vulnerable older people in our community.”

Donations of Winter Fuel Payments can be made via the charity’s web site www.smallactsofkindness.co.uk

If eligible for Gift Aid the charitable donation will increase by an additional 25 per cent.